Which roads in France are legal for cyclists.
Posted: 16 Sep 2015, 1:40pm
I'd like some advice please about the regulations in France - which roads can you legally cycle on?
I recently did my first cycle camping trip since 1979, from the Ouistraham ferry down to the other side of Le Mans and back in 4 days. I was riding in a velomobile, (a recumbent trike with full body shell) but I don't think that's relevant to this question. There's a trip report on bentrideronline at: http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageb ... p?t=122483 for anyone interested.
I understand that the situation in the UK is that we have two categories of roads with respect to cycle use: motorways on which cycles are forbidden; and, all other roads on which they are legally allowed. I also understand that there are many non-motorways on which you would not want to cycle - even though it is legally permissible.
So what is the situation in France please?
I naively assumed it was more or less the same and took the main N158 dual highway south from Caen. Lovely smooth road, 5 ft or so wide strip at the side for most of the way (4 or 5km missing at one point), too narrow to be a proper hard shoulder so assumed it was brilliant cycle provision. Very light but fast moving traffic, didn't feel unsafe even when the "cycle path" disappeared for a few km. No signage indicating cycles not allowed. Southbound was fine on Thursday 3rd September; coming back on Sunday 6th I was close to Caen when an angry motorbike cop was waiting for me at the next exit and ordered me off. Didn't get a ticket or anything but he was very assertive that this road did not permit cycling. How was I to know?
An hour or so later, in Caen, I was following the traffic signs for the Ouistraham ferry, again, riding in a 4-5ft wide section at the inside of a busy urban dual highway. Good cycling provision I thought until I was surrounded by 3 squad cars with flashing blue lights, each of which disgorged 3 officers. So I'm surrounded by 9 very excited French cops (including a couple of women), all adamant that cycling is not allowed on this road. Again, I wasn't charged with anything but had to have a police escort to a cycle path a couple of miles away. This was a good thing as the cycle path led all the way to the ferry - I'd have taken it if I'd known it existed.
There was an incident earlier that afternoon on the D958 between Argentan and Falaise when two gendarmes were waiting for me at the top of a hill to tell me how difficult my vehicle was to see and that I shouldn't be cycling on this road as it is too dangerous. This was a regular, wide single carriageway with a marked cyclepath at each side? Light traffic and no problems whatsoever other than the hills, my tired legs and a bike that weighs 38kg before adding any camping equipment.
So after 7,000+ miles in the UK in a bit under 3 years I was stopped 3 times in about 4 hours by French police. The first one seems to be par for the course for recumbent riders. It's the last two incidents which concern me as, it seemed, I was riding perfectly safely on non-motorways and didn't realise I was doing anything wrong. Ignorance of the law being no defence I'd like some clarification so that, if I go back, I'm less at risk of getting a ticket for riding on the wrong roads.
Thanks in advance, John.
I recently did my first cycle camping trip since 1979, from the Ouistraham ferry down to the other side of Le Mans and back in 4 days. I was riding in a velomobile, (a recumbent trike with full body shell) but I don't think that's relevant to this question. There's a trip report on bentrideronline at: http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageb ... p?t=122483 for anyone interested.
I understand that the situation in the UK is that we have two categories of roads with respect to cycle use: motorways on which cycles are forbidden; and, all other roads on which they are legally allowed. I also understand that there are many non-motorways on which you would not want to cycle - even though it is legally permissible.
So what is the situation in France please?
I naively assumed it was more or less the same and took the main N158 dual highway south from Caen. Lovely smooth road, 5 ft or so wide strip at the side for most of the way (4 or 5km missing at one point), too narrow to be a proper hard shoulder so assumed it was brilliant cycle provision. Very light but fast moving traffic, didn't feel unsafe even when the "cycle path" disappeared for a few km. No signage indicating cycles not allowed. Southbound was fine on Thursday 3rd September; coming back on Sunday 6th I was close to Caen when an angry motorbike cop was waiting for me at the next exit and ordered me off. Didn't get a ticket or anything but he was very assertive that this road did not permit cycling. How was I to know?
An hour or so later, in Caen, I was following the traffic signs for the Ouistraham ferry, again, riding in a 4-5ft wide section at the inside of a busy urban dual highway. Good cycling provision I thought until I was surrounded by 3 squad cars with flashing blue lights, each of which disgorged 3 officers. So I'm surrounded by 9 very excited French cops (including a couple of women), all adamant that cycling is not allowed on this road. Again, I wasn't charged with anything but had to have a police escort to a cycle path a couple of miles away. This was a good thing as the cycle path led all the way to the ferry - I'd have taken it if I'd known it existed.
There was an incident earlier that afternoon on the D958 between Argentan and Falaise when two gendarmes were waiting for me at the top of a hill to tell me how difficult my vehicle was to see and that I shouldn't be cycling on this road as it is too dangerous. This was a regular, wide single carriageway with a marked cyclepath at each side? Light traffic and no problems whatsoever other than the hills, my tired legs and a bike that weighs 38kg before adding any camping equipment.
So after 7,000+ miles in the UK in a bit under 3 years I was stopped 3 times in about 4 hours by French police. The first one seems to be par for the course for recumbent riders. It's the last two incidents which concern me as, it seemed, I was riding perfectly safely on non-motorways and didn't realise I was doing anything wrong. Ignorance of the law being no defence I'd like some clarification so that, if I go back, I'm less at risk of getting a ticket for riding on the wrong roads.
Thanks in advance, John.